I have had a few situations over the years, like the one last week, where someone would say I had this frame in the sun for a couple years and its perfect but this piece in the sun and the epoxy is fading after three-6 months.
One guy a few months to six months ago, I said are you sure it was not another brand as none of this made any sense to me and just kind of shrugged it off.
Maybe, I would get 2-3 calls a year like this.
Well yesterday, I spent about two hours on the phone with one of the largest epoxy resin manufacturers and this chemist gave me an education like no tomorrow.
Here is what I learned, that I did not know.
The epoxy did not fade, the epoxy blushed, for moisture trapped in it when it was sprayed, most likely very high humid conditions and the temperature was just right at the time, probably hot, or excessive water in line.
The water will cause a fading effect as the piece sets in the sun after 3-9 months, inside or on a frame it will never show up but it is their.
Here is what I learned!
Step on to help avoid this, let the epoxy induce 30 minutes.
Also, as I felt comfortable with the guy I gave him my formula and he also said the Acetone, can add to this problem and he felt I was using a bit on the high side.
So the an adjustment was mad to the epoxy activator we packaged yesterday and the batch number is 8/29/11.
We reduced the Acetone by 85%, increased the Alcohol by 5% and added another solvent in place of the Acetone.
You will not notice any difference in how it sprays or drys, only thing you may notice is a sweeter smell with the activator.
Also, I have on order 10,000 lbs of a different Amines that should be a little clearer and not as likely to darked as it sets once opened, although the color does not affect anything, I do get a lot of concerned calls, here again this will change nothing but the clarity and cost me a few more bucks but I think its a good buy.
From here on out we are going to request an induction time for the epoxy and as me make new catalogs and labels we will change the reading, to state such.
One guy a few months to six months ago, I said are you sure it was not another brand as none of this made any sense to me and just kind of shrugged it off.
Maybe, I would get 2-3 calls a year like this.
Well yesterday, I spent about two hours on the phone with one of the largest epoxy resin manufacturers and this chemist gave me an education like no tomorrow.
Here is what I learned, that I did not know.
The epoxy did not fade, the epoxy blushed, for moisture trapped in it when it was sprayed, most likely very high humid conditions and the temperature was just right at the time, probably hot, or excessive water in line.
The water will cause a fading effect as the piece sets in the sun after 3-9 months, inside or on a frame it will never show up but it is their.
Here is what I learned!
Step on to help avoid this, let the epoxy induce 30 minutes.
Also, as I felt comfortable with the guy I gave him my formula and he also said the Acetone, can add to this problem and he felt I was using a bit on the high side.
So the an adjustment was mad to the epoxy activator we packaged yesterday and the batch number is 8/29/11.
We reduced the Acetone by 85%, increased the Alcohol by 5% and added another solvent in place of the Acetone.
You will not notice any difference in how it sprays or drys, only thing you may notice is a sweeter smell with the activator.
Also, I have on order 10,000 lbs of a different Amines that should be a little clearer and not as likely to darked as it sets once opened, although the color does not affect anything, I do get a lot of concerned calls, here again this will change nothing but the clarity and cost me a few more bucks but I think its a good buy.
From here on out we are going to request an induction time for the epoxy and as me make new catalogs and labels we will change the reading, to state such.